The present invention relates to mechanical split seals. Mechanical split seals are employed in a wide variety of equipment, such as pumps, to provide a pressure-tight and fluid-tight seal between one environment having a pressurized process fluid and an external environment containing the equipment. The split seal assembly is usually positioned about a rotating shaft that is mounted in and protruding from a stationary part of the equipment.
Conventional split seal assemblies include face type mechanical seals, which have a pair of seal faces that are concentrically mounted about the shaft. The seal faces each have smooth radial primary sealing surfaces that are in contact with each other. Usually one seal face remains stationary while the other seal face rotates with the shaft. The split seal assembly prevents leakage of the pressurized process fluid to the external environment by biasing the seal faces in contact with each other. For example, a split seal assembly may include one or more springs, which urge the seal faces together.
The rotary seal component includes a rotary seal face which is usually mounted in a rotary holder. The rotary holder includes a pair of holder halves, each having a pair of mating surfaces, that are fastened together. A set screw is generally used to secure the rotary seal component to the shaft. The stationary seal face is usually mounted in a piece called a gland. The gland also includes a pair of holder halves, usually referred to as gland halves, each having a pair of mating surfaces that are fastened together. In an assembled split seal, the rotary seal component is disposed within the gland, so that the primary sealing surfaces contact one another.
The mating surfaces of the rotary and stationary holder halves are normally manufactured to tight tolerances. Typically, each holder half has a groove formed on one of the mating surfaces for mounting a sealing gasket. When the gasket is mounted within the groove and the halves are secured together, the gasket contacts the opposite mating surface of the half. This contact forms a pressure-tight and a fluid-tight seal between the halves.
The seal faces are often divided into segments, each segment having two split surfaces. Because the seal faces are split, they can be mounted about the shaft without freeing one end of the shaft. Frequently, the split between the split surfaces is angularly offset from the junction between the mating surfaces. The split seal assembly has a distinct advantage over non-split mechanical seal designs in that the total time to install the seal is reduced because the rotating equipment does not have to be dismantled.
In one illustrative embodiment, a seal component is disclosed. The seal component includes a circular seal face including two seal face segments. Each seal face segment has a primary sealing surface, a section extending axially from each primary sealing surface and a nose extending radially from each section. The seal component further includes first and second holder halves. A nose of each seal face segment is mounted within each holder half.
In another illustrative embodiment, a seal component is disclosed. The seal component includes two seal face segments each having a primary sealing surface, a section extending from each primary sealing surface, and an outer wall. The seal component further includes first and second holder halves, each having first and second mating surfaces, and each half including a band having an inner wall. The inner wall surrounds the outer wall and secures the seal face segments rigidly and concentrically around a rotating shaft.
In yet another illustrative embodiment, a rotary seal component kit is disclosed. The kit includes two rotary seal face segments, each seal face segment having a radial primary sealing surface, a section extending from the primary sealing surface and a nose extending radially from the section. The kit further includes first and second rotary holder halves, wherein the nose of each seal face segment is mountable within each holder half.
In another illustrative embodiment, a seal component is disclosed. The seal component includes two holder halves, each half including an outer axial wall, two seal base segments mountable within the outer axial walls of each half, each segment having an outer axial wall and ridge mounted on the outer axial wall of each seal face segment. The seal component further includes a split o-ring mounted between the outer axial walls and the holder halves in the seal face segments. The outer axial walls of the holder halves maintain the segments concentric with a shaft during assembly and installation and the ridges abut against the split o-ring and prevent the seal face segments from axially separating from the holder halves.
In another illustrative embodiment, a method of assembling a seal component half includes inserting a split seal surface of a seal face segment into a channel of a holder half so that a nose extending radially from the seal face segment enters a complementary recess in the holder half and moving the seal segment along the channel until the seal face segment is fully seated in the holder half.
In yet another illustrative embodiment, a method of assembling an installation of a seal component includes assembling first and second seal component halves, wherein the first component half includes a first holder half and a second component half includes a second holder half. Each holder half has a counterbore and a seal face segment. The seal face segment has a nose extending therefrom with the nose being retained in the counterbore. The method further includes uniting the first and second seal component halves around a shaft.
In yet another illustrative embodiment, a method of assembly and installation of a seal component includes inserting seal face segments into first and second holder halves, each seal face segment having an outer peripheral surface, each holder half having a band disposed about one of the outer peripheral surfaces. The method further includes placing the holder halves around the shaft and fastening the bands to one another.
In still another illustrative embodiment, a split seal assembly is disclosed. The split seal assembly includes a first seal component including a circular seal face having two seal face segments. Each seal face segment has a nose and includes two holder halves. The nose of each seal face segment is mounted within each holder half. A second seal component includes a resiliently mounted seal face.
In still another illustrative embodiment, a seal face component is disclosed. The seal face component includes two seal face segments, each having a primary sealing surface, a section extending from each primary sealing surface, and each section having a wall. The seal face component further includes first and second holder halves for holding the two seal face components respectively, each half having first and second mating surfaces. The seal component further includes a first band attached to the first holder half and a second band attached to the second holder half. Each band has an inner wall, the inner walls surrounding the outer walls of each axially extending section of each seal segment. The seal face segments being disposed there between. The inner walls being adapted to locate the seal face segments concentrically around a shaft. The bands being adapted to be secured together to rigidly hold the seal face segments.
In still another illustrative embodiment of the invention, a seal component is disclosed. The seal component includes a circular seal face including two seal face segments, each seal face segment having a primary sealing surface, a section extending axially from each primary sealing surface, and a nose extending radially from each section. The seal component further includes first and second holder halves. The nose in each seal face segment engages a corresponding abutment surface on each holder half.
In still another illustrative embodiment, a seal component is disclosed. The seal component includes first and second holder halves, each half having first and second mating surfaces and an outer axial wall. Each axial wall of the holder halves extend from the first mating surface to the second mating surface and is suitable for supporting a first and second semicircular seal face. Each seal face has a primary sealing surface and a section extending axially from the primary sealing surface. The seal section includes an outer axial wall. At least one of the outer axial walls of the holder halves and the outer axial wall of the seal section is shaped and formed to relieve stress between the holder halves and the seal faces.
In another illustrative embodiment, a seal component is disclosed. The seal component includes a circular seal face including two seal face segments. Each seal face segment has a primary sealing surface and a section extending axially from each primary sealing surface. The seal component further includes a first and second holder half, suitable for mounting the seal face segments and a split o-ring disposed between an inner wall of the axially extending section and a shaft upon which the seal component is mountable.
In still another illustrative embodiment, a seal component for sealing a rotating shaft of a piece of equipment is disclosed. The seal component includes a circular seal face including two seal face segments, each seal face segment having a primary sealing surface and a section extending axially from each primary sealing surface. The seal component further includes first and second holder halves, each suitable for mounting a seal face segment. Each holder half is rigidly formed in the piece of equipment.
In still another illustrative embodiment, a seal component is disclosed. The seal component includes a circular seal face including two seal face segments. Each seal face segment has a primary sealing surface and a section extending axially from each primary sealing surface. The seal component further includes a holder including first and second holder halves adapted to be joined together to rigidly hold the circular seal face, the holder being constructed and arranged to mount to a shaft.
In still another embodiment of the invention a seal component is disclosed. The seal component includes a circular seal face including two seal face segments. Each seal face segment has a primary sealing surface and a section extending axially from each primary sealing surface. Each circular seal face includes a secondary sealing surface. The seal component further includes an adhesive joining the secondary sealing surfaces. The seal component further includes a holder including first and second holder halves adapted to be joined together to hold the circular seal plates. The holder is constructed and arranged to mount to a shaft.
In another embodiment of the invention a seal component is disclosed. A seal component includes a circular seal face including two seal face segments, each seal face segment having a primary sealing surface, a section extending axially from each primary sealing surface. The seal component further includes a clamp ring surrounding the circular seal face to hold the two seal face segments together. A holder includes first and second holder halves adapted to be joined together to hold a circular seal face. The holder is constructed and arranged to mount to a shaft.
In yet another illustrative embodiment of the invention, an uninstalled mechanical split seal is disclosed. The split seal includes first and second gland halves. Each gland half includes a first section having a first face seal disposed therein and a second section having a receptacle that has a flange. The split seal further includes first and second rotary seal holders. Each seal holder includes a body adapted to be disposed within the receptacle, a second seal face disposed within the body, and a shoulder disposed on the body. The shoulder abuts the flange.
In yet another illustrative embodiment, an uninstalled mechanical split seal is disclosed. The split seal includes first and second gland halves. Each gland half includes a first section having a first face seal disposed therein and a second section having a receptacle. The split seal further includes first and second rotary seal holders. Each seal holder includes a body adapted to be disposed within the receptacle and a second seal face disposed within the body. The split seal further includes a non-metallic, substantially incompressible component disposed within each receptacle. The non-metallic component is adapted to engage a portion of the body of the rotary seal holder.
In still another illustrative embodiment, a mechanical split seal is disclosed. The split seal includes first and second gland halves, each comprising a first section and a second section having a receptacle. The split seal further includes a first circular seal face including two seal face segments. The first circular seal face is disposed within the first section. A rotary holder including first and second rotary holder halves, is disposed within a corresponding receptacle of the second section. The first and second holder halves, when joined together, define a holder parting line. A second circular seal face including two seal face segments is flexibly mounted within the rotary holder. The two seal face segments of the second circular seal face, when joined together to form the second circular seal face, define a seal face parting line. The seal face parting line is substantially aligned with the holder parting line.
In yet another illustrative embodiment, an uninstalled mechanical split seal is disclosed. The seal includes first and second gland halves, each including a first section having a first seal face disposed therein. The first seal face is biased in a first direction. A second section has a receptacle. The receptacle is constructed and arranged to receive a rotary seal component therein such that the rotary seal component is biased in the first direction.
In another illustrative embodiment, a seal component is disclosed. The seal component includes a circular seal face including two seal face segments. Each seal face segment has a primary sealing surface and a section extending axially from each primary sealing surface. The seal component further includes a holder including first and second holder halves each rigidly holding a seal face segment upon installation of the seal on a shaft.
In yet another illustrative embodiment a two-piece seal component is disclosed. The two-piece seal component, exclusive of fasteners, consists of a circular seal face including two seal face segments. Each seal face segment has a primary sealing surface and a section extending axially from each primary sealing surface, and the two-piece seal component also consists of a holder including first and second holder halves, each rigidly holding a seal face segments.
In still another illustrative embodiment a seal component is disclosed. A seal component includes a circular seal face including two seal face segments. Each seal face segment has a primary sealing surface and a section extending axially from each primary sealing surface. A seal component further includes a holder including first and second holder halves each rigidly holding a seal face segment. The holder is constructed and arranged to clamp to a shaft. The two seal face segments, when joined together to form this circular seal face, defines a seal face parting line. The first and second holder halves, when joined together, define a holder parting line. The seal face parting line is substantially aligned with the holder parting line.
Various embodiments of the present invention provide certain advantages and overcome certain drawbacks of the conventional techniques. Not all embodiments of the invention share the same advantages and those that do may not share them under all circumstances. Further features and advantages of the present invention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present invention, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.